Ahh, the bagel snob’s lament: Nothing beats a New York bagel. And maybe they’re right, but four hours is a long way to drive for a breakfast. Sometimes you just want some lox or eggs between two circles of dough, right here, right now. So haters, let’s make do with what we’ve got; we promise it’s not so bad—in fact, some of these options are downright delicious. Below are our writers’ favorite places to go for a bagel sandwich in and around town.
Photo via Bullfrog Bagel’s Facebook page.
BAGELS ETC: Don’t be fooled by the unassuming name or the modest storefront. This Dupont shop serves up fresh, chewy bagels that make some of the other options around the city look like nothing more than circular bread. That’s why you’ll often find long (but pretty quick) lines on weekend mornings. They’ve got all the standard schmears, and if you’re looking for more “etcetera,” they’ve got a long list of sandwich options on the menu, too. Just keep in mind that it’s cash-only and there’s limited seating. —Victoria Finkle
Bagels Etc. is located at 2122 P Street NW.
BETHESDA BAGELS: If you’re willing to brave the line and take your bagel sandwich to-go, Bethesda Bagels won’t disappoint. Their huge scrambled egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich will satisfy all your salt, fat and carb cravings simultaneously, but if you’re looking for a healthier option, try their open-faced hummus and veggie on a whole-wheat everything bagel. If you don’t want your sandwich to be the size of a grapefruit, take it on a mini-bagel. You can get all the New York-style classics here, including appropriately chewy salt, onion, garlic, and black and white bagels, as well as can’t-find-them-everywhere toppings including whitefish salad, peppered salmon, and a cracked pepper and caramelized onions cream cheese. —Jenny Holm
Bethesda Bagels is located at 1718 Connecticut Avenue NW.
BUFFALO AND BERGEN:Buffalo & Bergen is the knish and bagel counter at Union Market. In addition to their New York-style baked goods, they offer traditional soda drinks like egg creams and alcoholic drinks as well. On their recently updated menu they have all manner of unique bagel sandwich. Case in point, the “we’re jammin’ (I hope you like hammin’ too)”: apricot jam, goat cheese, cinnamon, crispy ham. I typically go for “the original”: fresh lox, cream cheese, capers, red onion. These bagels aspire towards that Upper West Side doughy bagel, that’s more like a roll with a hole in the middle. Whether or not they are limited by the water here, they make for a great sandwich.—Josh Kramer
Buffalo and Bergen is located within Union Market, 1309 5th Street NE.
Photo via Buffalo and Bergen’s Facebook page.
BULLFROG BAGELS: First things first: a good bagel sandwich has to start with a good bagel. Bullfrog Bagels is a well crafted foundation for the toppings it’ll ultimately support. The bagel is subtly yeasty, acquiring its flavor from tap water and a wild leavening agent that grows organically in the air. It’s just chewy enough on the inside and springy enough on the outside to optimize the mouthfeel. In terms of sandwiches, whitefish salad is a smooth composition. House-smoked whitefish is seasoned and dressed into a homemade salad, loaded into a bagel along with cream cheese, tomato, red onions and capers. —Andrea Adleman
Bullfrog Bagels is located at 1341 H Street NE.
GOLDBERG’S NEW YORK BAGELS: Goldberg’s is the closest thing you’ll find to New York-style bagels in the Washington metropolitan area. And while procuring their bagels requires a trip to the suburbs, at least they have three locations to choose from should you partake in a smear. Goldberg’s has been my go-to for bagels for many years now not only because of the quality consistency but also when pleasing my New Jersey in-laws. The classic egg and cheese sandwich just tastes better when it’s on their freshly-baked bagels. And it’s kosher, too! Just remember that they’re closed on Saturdays.—Brett Gellman
Goldberg’s Bagels has locations in Rockville, Silver Spring, and Potomac.
Photo by Brett Gellman.
GEORGETOWN BAGELRY: If you think of bagel sandwiches as gut busters then you are in for a treat when you order the Miami Burger on an “everything” bagel. This Bethesda bagel shop offers a variety of traditional flavors – sesame, poppy, pumpernickel, and salt – but also includes kiddie’s favorites like chocolate chip, cinnamon raisin, and blueberry. Sandwiches are its specialty, with Bagel Ruebens and BLTs. They also offer the ever popular Flagel, a bagel that has been smashed and baked. It may be the Eastern European equivalent of a plantain tostone. And of course there is the bagel dog, a large hot door wrapped in bagel dough and baked to perfection. You will have to run a half marathon to burn off these calories, but the taste and textures of bagel sandwiches are worth it. Almost New York! Whether you like your bagel with a schmear, or with bacon and eggs, this is the place to satisfy your taste buds (and hunger!) Originally located on M Street in Georgetown, the Bagelry moved to Bethesda not far from the D.C. line. It is just off the Capital-Crescent Trail for those taking the run or biking from D.C. to the’ burbs. Go early because on weekends the lines are out the door, but you can order online and pick-up on arrival. —Johanna Mendelson Forman
Georgetown Bagelry is located at 5227 River Road in Bethesda, Md.
GW DELI (AKA LEO’S DELI): Bacon, egg and cheese. These individual words somehow merge into one, “abaconeggandcheese”, at GW’s finest eatery: the GW Deli. The traditional deli counter, complete with insanely busy sandwichsmiths, can make you any combo of deli meat and bread you can imagine. But there is one sandwich to rule them all. The Baconeggandcheese on a bagel. You’ll get a sky-high mass of the crispiest, saltiest bacon you’ve ever consumed on a hot-off-the-griddle fried egg and whatever cheese you want. You’ll be feeling it in your stomach for an hour or so, but it is so worth it. Ask for an everything bagel if you’re ready for your life to change. —Tori Kerr
The GW Deli is located at 2133 G St NW.
NEOPOL SAVORY SMOKERY: In my mind, for a bagel sandwich to be delicious, some sort of smoked fish must be involved. And as the name implies, Neopol’s Union Market outpost offers up what may be D.C.’s best smoked fish selection, including salmon, trout, gravlox, and, my personal favorite, whitefish salad. If you’re not into smoked fish, there are still delicious options to be had, including a bagel with smoked hummus and avocado that will brighten a vegan’s morning. Neopol’s regular sandwich offerings are also available on bagels—hello smoked salmon BLT bagel. Whatever sandwich you choose (you can also just get plain cream cheese, if you’re into boring stuff), it will be served on a perfectly toasted, true New York style bagel, which Neopol gets from Bagels and Grinds, a shop in Arundel Mills. The only drawback here is that the bagel sandwiches are only served on weekends, as Neopol staff make the journey every Saturday and Sunday morning to pick up freshly-made bagels. If you don’t manage to make it to Union Market on a weekend or if they’ve sold out of bagels by the time you arrive, you can always purchase some smoked salmon and whitefish to make your own bagel sandwiches at home. —Elizabeth Packer
Neopol Savory Smokey is located within Union Market, 1309 5th Street NE.
